The New Zealand Rugby League are set to resume conversations with Kalyn Ponga about the fullback switching allegiances to represent the nation.
While New Zealand are a Tier 1 nation, meaning players can't switch from Australia or England to represent the nation once they have made their international debut, a recent ruling regarding Gold Coast Titans AJ Brimson could leave the door open for Ponga to represent the Kiwis.
Brimson has switched allegiances to England despite previously representing Australia - however, that was only at 9s level, and the IRL declared the tournament didn't count towards the current set of eligibility rules.
It means Brimson will be a leading contender to play at fullback for the English side when they host Australia in a three-Test Ashes series at the end of the year, and again at the end of 2026 when the Rugby League World Cup is held in Australia.
Ponga, despite playing eight games for Queensland, has never represented Australia outside of the 9s tournament that was held in 2019 and has never been played again. Brimson was in exactly the same boat, having played for Queensland.
The ruling, combined with the fact Ponga made himself unavailable for Kangaroos selection last year - before being forced to be available by the NRL, and then overlooked by Mal Meninga - has paved the way for the NZRL to believe there is a chance Ponga will switch allegiances per a News Corp report, with NZRL boss Greg Peters saying he is open to having the conversation again.
"We want guys who are proud to play for New Zealand, and we would love Kalyn with us," Peters told the publication.
"We have approached him before.
"The last time Michael Maguire (former Kiwi coach) spoke to Kalyn and his father, he said if he could play Origin and for the Kiwis, he would, but that was a historical conversation.
"We're very open to having that conversation again."
The issue for the NZRL is that Ponga won't be able to play State of Origin and for the Kiwis, but there is a school of thought which suggests he has only been picked in Billy Slater's squad this year because Reece Walsh is out injured, and that could be the case for the remainder of his career.
Ponga, who has previously represented the Maori All Stars, would likely walk straight into the Kiwis side, although it's a team loaded with fullback options led by New Zealand Warriors star Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Gold Coast Titans youngster Keano Kini.
Still, the lure of Ponga would make him an almost automatic selection for not only this year's Pacific Championships, but also the World Cup coming up in 2026, which will be hosted in Australia.
Ponga is less than a guarantee of being selected in the Australian side come that World Cup, with the likes of Dylan Edwards and Reece Walsh also in the hunt for the green and gold number one jersey, with the Kangaroos also expected to be under a new coach by then with Mal Meninga currently leading the race to take over the NRL's 18th team when the Perth Bears enter the competition in 2027.
Speaking to the media from Maroons camp, Ponga said he simply isn't thinking about international allegiance at this stage, but it's a conversation he will almost certainly have in the coming months.
